alex chinneck ties antique grandfather clock in a knot of ticks and tocks

alex chinneck enjoys making sculptures and collecting antiques. often he ties the two together and strange things happen: buildings hover, bricks melt, tarmac curls, a grandfather clock gets caught in a knot. the latter, ‘growing up gets me down,’ is on display at liberty london.

alex chinneck ties antique grandfather clock and broom in latest work, growing up gets me down
all images courtesy of charles emerson

the stubborn old time-piece, even after its aggressive transformation, ticks and tocks perfectly. that is what makes this alteration so special; the execution looks effortless, but the technical process was quite complex, according to chinneck, and according to the fact that wood just shouldn’t bend that way. it isn’t natural for a clock to hug itself. 

alongside the twisted clock, chinneck has included a knotted ash broom. on display at liberty london, the two self-ensnared pieces represent an exciting new wave of subject matter for chinneck. previously, the artist has altered columns, facades and entire buildings, but it seems as though his subject matter is getting smaller. from buildings, to antique clocks and broomsticks — the scale is different, but the result is just as surreal (and maybe a dash more whimsical).